2014 Winter Games: The latest

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SOCHI, RUSSIA — Vladislav Tretiak initially deflected a question as if he was making a kick save to keep a puck out of his net.

Moments later, perhaps after pondering his response, the Hall of Fame goaltender and Russian legend acknowledged a lot was learned when the U.S. hockey team beat the Soviets in the “Miracle on Ice” game at the Lake Placid Olympics in 1980.

“It was a good lesson that the Americans taught us,” Tretiak told reporters packed into a 530-seat hall Tuesday.

“You have to respect your competitors and only after the game can you tell what you think about them.”

The three-time gold medalist was benched after giving up two goals in the first period in what is widely regarded as the greatest upset in Olympic history.

Johannson said USA Hockey employed about six or seven people 34 years ago and now the grass-roots organization pays nearly 100 people to help develop boys who potentially will represent the country as men at the Olympics.

No one on this year’s U.S. team was born on Feb. 22, 1980, when the famous game was played.

The Americans will likely be asked about that game a lot in the coming days because they will face Russians, who are like rock stars, at the Sochi Games, on Saturday.

Tretiak, though, seems to be trying to play down the highly anticipated matchup as the president of the Ice Hockey Federation of Russia.

“It doesn’t matter who plays against us,” Tretiak said. “We are going to approach it as a final.”